Troy Police Chief John Tedesco swore in two new members to the force at Troy City Hall. We will be swearing in Jarrod Iler of Troy (son of former Assistant Chief Ralph Iler) and Anthony Balarin of Latham (transplanted resident of Staten Island, NY) here getting a kiss from his fiance Jacqui Williamson. Both candidates possess full command of the Spanish language. (Mike McMahon / The Record)

TROY - A mixture of nervous and excited energy kept Officer Jarod Iler up Monday evening but after being sworn in along with Officer Anthony Balarin at a ceremony at City Hall, but he was all smile on Tuesday.

"It's definitely a great feeling," Iler said, who is a third generation officer in the department as he is son of former Assistant Chief Ralp Iler. "I'm excited to be a part of that brotherhood."

Both Iler and Balarin were hired for a specific skill they possess, which Balarin said they went through extensive testing for they can fluently speak Spanish. Balarin said he had a Peruvian background as both of his parents are from Peru.

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He understands with the skill comes with added pressure as he will be responsible for communicating with Spanish-speaking residents and translating some of their statements into police reports.

"They'll call on me and expect me to handle the situation," Balarin said. "And I better know what the hell I am doing."

Iler said he took Spanish through high school and college, and even spent a month in Guatemala as part of an immersion program. He said the ability to speak Spanish will allow him to meet more members of the community

"I would say its added pressure but I'm excited to use those tools," Iler said.

Mayor Lou Rosamilia said having Iler and Balarin on the force will strengthen the department's connection with the community and noted it is adapting to the ever-diversifying neighborhood.

"As the Troy community continues to change we become more diverse," Rosamilia said. "These two young men double our Spanish speaking force."

Chief John Tedesco said it is a "tremendous" benefit to have Iler and Balarin on the force, adding both tested very well. He also highlighted the importance of having two officers fluent in speaking Spanish as a key component in strengthening the department.

"The art of policing is communication," Tedesco said. "And with that it greatly enhances our ability to work with that section of the community."

Rosamilia spoke about the bravery of the two men being sworn in and the sacrifices they were making by putting the needs of the community before their own. Tedesco said this event exemplified how fortunate the department is since many others are facing budget constraints, they were still able to hire two new officers.

Troy Police Benevolent Association President Bob Fitzgerald gave praise to Rosamilia for making the decision during tough budget times.

"For this department to be at full strength is strictly a benefit to the City of Troy," Fitzgerald said. "We commend the Mayor in hard economic times to put crime fighting and law enforcement at the forefront."

For Balarin, who is originally from Staten Island, becoming a police officer was a life goal of his that became a reality and he was having a difficult time believing the moment is real.

"I don't want to be cheesy," Balarin said, "but this is a dream come true."